Starting midfielder, 2nd team all conference, 2nd team all region, 2023 state champion, and earning his 3rd varsity letter for lacrosse, Alexander (Xander) Johnson is athlete of the month. Xander is a 17-year-old senior lacrosse player at Dublin Jerome High School and is committed to play Division I lacrosse at the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass), where he also plans to study business and sports management. 

Xander’s lacrosse journey started when he was in second grade. He wanted to play because his older sister, Zara, played, and his dad, Timothy, played in high school. He admired their passion for lacrosse and wanted to be like them. This became a bonding point in their family and something they enjoyed doing together. After Xander’s first year playing, his dad decided to coach him in Dublin Youth Athletics lacrosse from third to sixth grade. Their father-son bond became a coach-player bond on the field, which ignited Xander’s love for the sport. They loved to play together.  By sixth grade, his dad bought goalie gear so that he could practice shooting. His dad soon found himself in the goal as Xander took practice shots at him. However, as Xander started to shoot harder, they decided it was safer to just practice with the goal. 

His passion for the sport grew as he traveled to different states and experienced different and more advanced players. His first time traveling for a lacrosse tournament was to the East Coast in fifth grade. As many lacrosse fans know, the sport is extremely popular and competitive on the East Coast; that’s where some of the best teams and players are. After Xander’s first time experiencing playing against these higher-leveled players, it motivated him to improve and push himself to play to the best of his ability. As he continued to travel he found that his interest in lacrosse grew when he was pursuing his dream on the road. 

Traveling around the country for different tournaments was not only a great experience to improve his skills, but also an opportunity to be seen by college recruiters. Growing up, it has always been Xander’s dream to play Division I lacrosse and traveling cross-country was the perfect way to visit these schools. The tournaments draw in recruiters and offer a way for players to get exposure and potential offers. Xander experienced this for the first time in a tournament in San Diego. Receiving offers and getting exposure to coaches provided him with a new sense of confidence and motivation to play to the best of his ability. 

These road trips were also full of many family memories and bonding moments. When Xander had his temporary license, he practiced driving, traveling to the tournaments and he quickly racked-up the hours needed to get his driver’s license. He and his dad also made many memories, driving through cities, exploring new places, and just talking while on these long drives. 

It was through these tournaments that Xander was recognized by the coaches of UMass and how he received his offer to play Division I lacrosse for them. Before and after the games, he made connections with coaches and had conversations about his playing style and dreams moving forward with the sport. In January 2023, Xander made his verbal commitment to UMass and later signed his letter of intent in November. This was a dream come true for Xander as he aspired to play lacrosse in college. 

Earlier this year, Xander had his official visit to UMass with the other class of 2024 commits. This was an amazing opportunity where he was able to meet with future teammates, watch practice, and visit the campus and athletic facilities. At the university, Xander hopes to bond with his teammates, hone his lacrosse skills and use them to create a career.  He also hopes to see coaching lacrosse in his future, because his coaches have always been a great resource and support for him, which he aims to do the same.  

“Believe and you will achieve.”- Xander Johnson